Only Natural
by InkIllusionist
Summary: Speculation on Bolin and Mako's street-life before they meet Toza.


And I dabble in the land of Korra once again(this time with a little more info!), episodes 1 + 2 were awesome, and I love Bolin and Mako so much!

Only Natural

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><p>Republic city stopped for no man, woman, or child. Generosity was a concept at best, and luxury belonged to those who lived in the towering skyscrapers above. Because life was unfair and cruel at little more than 8 years old Mako had to grow up, and fast.<p>

His brother needed him, family, no matter how little had to stick together no matter what. This meant when Bolin was hungry, Mako would give him more than half of whatever they had scrounged up over the course of the day.

He had heard earth-benders needed more food to stay strong, so Bolin would stay strong. Mako would be hungrier, but Bolin would be livelier, and that was enough to keep the hunger pains away.

Mako was not gifted with bending, but then again he had never really tried, there was too much chaos in his life to think about it. His copper eyes screamed fire-bender, but bending took up energy, and they needed that energy to survive.

They had lived from cardboard box, to the occasional bush to beneath doorsteps and bridges. It was enough because they were alive. Mako found that the longer they lived in the cold and wet, the less he felt. The cold hard ground was a normal companion, the strong gusts of wind a frequent reminder of their situation. Everything was cold, and if it were not for Bolin, Mako was sure he would've gone completely numb.

Mako had a small paper route that he had managed to get in a neighborhood. His legs were long and spindly making him fast enough to get his job done in an orderly fashion. The pay was pocket change, but pocket change was good enough for a meal everyday or so.

Mako would allow Bolin to pick the meal every time, no matter what it was, though he was adamant never to let him buy the sea prunes down by the bay, no matter how much you could get for cheap, Mako didn't trust something _that_ foreign that was still supposed to be "fresh".

The last thing they could afford was for one of them to get sick..

Sometimes an old lady on his paper route would allow Bolin to stay with her while Mako worked, she was an earth bender too, and Bolin would help her weed out her garden and help with chores. It was a way of paying for the small kindnesses she granted him, as labor was all the currency they had. And it was with these small things that half a year went by.

As the time fled Mako continued to get colder, and recede into himself, and soon what he had dreaded had come upon them. Winter.

Their clothes were not suited for a Republic City winter. Although it was not nearly as savage as a southern or northern tribe winter, it was still cold enough that they would be dead by morning in shorts and ripped sandals.

Mako had to get Bolin warm. That was his first instinct.

Mako held the small amount of money tight in his hand, with Bolin holding tightly onto his other, as they went from store to store looking for a cheap enough jacket to buy.

A dark figure blocked their path through one of the alleyways they were traversing through. Mako saw a flash in the mans hand. A sharp knife presented itself in front of the boys.

"Give me any change you got and nobody gets hurt kid."

Mako's grip on both their money and Bolin's hand tightened. He backed away slowly, moving Bolin further behind him.

"Please we don't have much, just leave us alone." Mako stepped further back

The man advanced as they continued to back away. "This is Republic City kid, begging don't work here"

Mako could hear Bolin whimpering, he moved him even further behind him, the knife of the man now pointing directly at Mako's face.

The man eyed Mako's movements "If your brothers' that important to you, I promise not to hurt him long as you give me them yuans.."

Bolin pushed his way past Mako now facing the man himself "I won't let you hurt him! I'm an earthbender! I'll beat you up if you don't leave him alone!"

Bolin tried to stomp, he tried to bend. Mako couldn't move quick enough. The man responded immediately knife raising over his head. "Filthy bender"

The knife met Bolins shoulder, and all Mako saw was red. Red and Bolins tears. Bolin didn't cry out though, but he tried to get up again. He was trying to bend again, to protect his brother.

The yuans dropped from Mako's hands

Something in Mako lit, anger, sadness. Fire.

Mako screamed and his fists went aflame, he pushed his anger, his sadness, his pain, everything he had at the man before him.

Another scream followed, this time it was the man's, fire lit up his raggedly clothes and he fell back into the main streets rolling on the ground to try and put himself out.

Mako breathed heavily, he wasn't done yet.

He was going to do it again, he had to make him pay. He advanced through the alleyway, past Bolin's bleeding form. His hands lit up again. He was going to-

Suddenly a strong tan hand grabbed Mako's shoulder from behind. "That's enough!"

The voice was like a bucket of cold water to Makos senses, his hands went cold along with them.

Mako turned, a man with greying hair, big build and menacing scars stared back. "We don't have time for you to have a hissy-fit! Your brother needs to get treated, Come on!"

The man grabbed Mako's arm strongly with one hand and lifted Bolin onto his shoulder with the other.

Mako was about to protest, but the overhead drone of the police's sirens made him think otherwise. He reluctantly followed the man. The handful of yuans left on the ground of the alleyway.

They were led to a dome-shaped building with bright lights and a bustling crowd, Mako recognized it as the pro-bending arena. Bolin had fallen asleep by the time they had made it up the stairs of the great building, and into a room that the man called his own. Mako couldn't help but stare out of the broad window, city lights and air temple island all beneath his eyes.

The man set Bolin down on a small pallet, and without saying much- except from the incoherent grumble every now and again- tore off Bolin's bloodied shirt and began treating his wound. Bolin squirmed in his sleep but otherwise did not offer much resistance. Mako watched with a mix of curiosity, and fear. A stream of questions leaking into the silence.

Who was this man? What would he do to them after he was done? Would they be thrown out again to wander the streets and die?

"Done! Not too bad if I do say so myself, shouldn't leave any scars!" The man finally said breaking the silence and startling Mako out of his stupor.

"Why are you helping us?" It was a question Mako couldn't hold in.

The man frowned deeply, then looked at Mako in the eye awhile before pinching him on the nose. Hard.

"Ow! what waz dat foh?"

"I don't care if you've been raised in a stable or were fed from a silver spoon! The first thing you tell someone after helping you is 'Thank you!' "

Mako still holding onto his nose bowed his head and mumbled.

"Eh what was that? Can't hear you!"

Mako mumbled a bit louder, refusing to raise his head.

"Speak up boy! Sit up so I can hear you!"

"Thank you!" Tears were streaming down Mako's face, tears he hadn't let show since they had started living alone.

"I just don't get it! Everyone wants something, whether it's money, chores or clothes! There's no such thing as generosity in Republic city! So what do you want?" Mako breathed hard, surprised at his own outburst.

The man looked at him for awhile as Mako dried his tears with his sleeve.

"I get it kid. Life's been hard, and it will always be hard, but there are people still left in the world who don't want anything..who just want to give.."

Mako sniffled shaking his head "I don't get it.."

The man sighed and took a breath "Well think about it this way, when a mama bird has little ones of her own, does she ask them for anything in return?"

Mako shook his head.

"That's right! All she asks is that they be happy and when the time is right, learn how to fly. So as far as I can see it, generosity is natural."

"But you're not a mama bird, and we're not your chicks.."

The man put his hand to chin in thought "Well I'm more of a Komodo Rhino, but I don't see why that makes a difference!" He responded, laughing while slapping his bound knee.

"A Komodo Rhino raising chicks?" Mako raised a brow.

The mans frowned deeply "You got it! Now do you want to live here or not?"

Mako eyes widened, he bowed again "W-we would be honored, Thank you." Mako fidgeted.

"The name's Toza! I may be your mama bird, but you're still going to work around here!"

"Yes sir."

Mako wasn't sure if the man knew working would let him hold onto his cold beliefs about the world, but Mako couldn't help but smile a little bit for the first time in months. Toza walked out of the room stating that it was their's now to take care of.

Mako crawled onto the pallet, drawing the blanket he was given around him and his brother, he was surprised Bolin slept through the whole exchange. Maybe it was the fact that he was sleeping on a bed for the first time in months, or maybe Bolin knew that they had finally found a home too.

Mako smiled again as he drifted off to sleep, he would protect the two of them no matter what.

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><p>I love the two brothers so much! Just some head canon, not sure if they'll even go this route in the show since it's a tad bit violent, but it was fun!<p>

Please review!


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